The Australian truck market has eased further as the October national commercial sales figures from the peak industry body, TIC have revealed.
The total market for October saw 3081 commercial vehicles sold, down 699 units or 18.4 per cent on the same month last year. Overall the total volume for the first 10 months is off about 8.1 per cent on the record figures posted in 2018, although the market is still likely to top 37000 units by the end of December, which in any other year would be hailed as a strong result.
Clearly when a truck market registers an all time record sales result like the Australian market did in 2018, it often leaves a vacuum as demand has been satisfied so strongly the year before.
In the battle for heavy duty supremacy Kenworth has fought back after being beaten rival Volvo beat them by 21 trucks in September. As a result Volvo closed to within 32 units of Kenworth for year to date sales at the end of September. However Kenworth edged ahead in October selling 234 trucks to Volvo’s 219, giving the Paccar brand a 55 truck lead in the race to retain its crown as the number one heavy duty brand for the year.
Heavy Duty sales overall for the month saw 1079 trucks sold, up 15 units on September but down 319 units on October 2018.
Isuzu was third in heavy duty with 122 sales down 28 units on its September result and 53 on its October 2018 result.
Scania continues to make up ground following its supply problems in 2018 and was fourth in heavy duty with 91 trucks in October.
Mercedes Benz was the best of the rest with 73 sales followed by Mack (66) , UD (42) and Hino 41.
Meanwhile International trailed the field with another lacklustre result, selling just three trucks for the month.
The fight for medium duty ascendancy is heating up with Hino very nearly toppling Isuzu in the sector in September, the pair separated by a single truck sale. Isuzu sold 211 units in October and Hino 210 trucks, although Hino still trails its rival by 488 trucks for the year to date. However this time last year Isuzu led Hino in medium by 906 medium trucks, with Hino almost halving the former’s lead in the sector during the ensuing 12 months. Underlining this Isuzu held a 40 per cent market share this time last year, compared with Hino’s 26.7 per cent. Isuzu sold 302 trucks in October 2018 and Hino 195 units. In October this year Isuzu has dropped to 39 per cent market share while Hino has increased its share to 31.2 per cent in medium. Isuzu dropped 61 truck sales for the month while Hino sold 46 more trucks this October
Meantime Fuso continues to hold third in the market pretty much retaining a steady market share in a dropping market.
Light duty sales overall were down 24 per cent on last years October result. Isuzu continues to hold sway at the top of light duty with 351 sales for the month holding 37.7 per cent market share to Hino’s 202 sales and 21.7 per cent market share. Iveco’s Daily light truck has helped the brand to displace Fuso from third spot in the sector with Fuso dropping volume and share. The Japanese brand easily held third in October last year selling 237 units and holding 19.2 per cent of the light duty market, while last month it sold just 129 trucks, a drop of 108 units, with its market share dropping to 13.9 per cent in light duty.
Vans are a bright spot in commercial sales with volume up by 51 units compared with October 2018 and up 190 units year on year. Mercedes Benz is top dog in the van market lifting its volume and market share compared with last year. The three pointed star sold 196 vans in October compared with 156 in October 2018 and now holds 40.9 per cent of the overall van market, heading Renault with 130 sales and Volkswagen which has seen a big rise to move into third with 59 van sales.
